


Tacit Acceptance

by MamaLegs



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, Law Firm AU, Yes you read it right, edelgard has such strong lawyer vibes i couldnt control myself, rated for language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-18
Updated: 2020-11-18
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:08:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 990
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27611870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MamaLegs/pseuds/MamaLegs
Summary: “I hate her.”Dorothea looks very amusedly from over her computer monitor.“Whoever could you be talking about.” she says more to herself than anything. It isn’t a question; she knows exactly who Edelgard is talking about.
Relationships: Edelgard von Hresvelg/Rhea
Comments: 2
Kudos: 39





	Tacit Acceptance

“I hate her.”

Dorothea looks very amusedly from over her computer monitor.

“Whoever could you be talking about.” she says more to herself than anything. It isn’t a question; she knows exactly who Edelgard is talking about. After all, the short woman has long given up pretending the accusation attorney in one of the biggest and most important cases the firm has doesn’t drive her up the fucking wall.

Edelgard believes in justice in its classic sense. To be a good lawyer means empathising with her client to a necessary extent, while emotionally removing herself from the dispute to keep a clear head and make the best possible decisions. These are the rules she works, and as a result of an almost scary devotion to her occupation, lives by.

But she has always known that in a field where human interaction and emotions are the basis for most if not all disputes, she is bound to find herself in situations where her interest went beyond mere formal work. Personal attachment to claims are expected, even amongst the most distinguished lawyers, and these personal attachments result in rivalries between attorneys that go far beyond simple professional interests.

She loathes the idea. Her client wouldn’t benefit in any way from these childish feelings of petulance toward another. But it doesn’t matter what she thinks, for she has already lost this battle with her emotions. And she absolutely hates attorney Rhea Seiros. That fucking bitch.

______________

Whatever way she tries to put it, Byleth isn’t convinced.

Well, she rarely is, most times. Lysithea says it is what makes her a great lawyer. Edelgard believes it is what makes her particularly annoying, especially at times like this.

“I assure you, Professor, that as the lead attorney on this case, I am undisputedly the most qualified to make an oral statement during the trial.”

Byleth looks at her as if peeling off one by one the layers of self-assured detachment Edelgard has put up especially for this meeting. _Stop that_ , she wants to say. But Byleth had not only been her – extremely young, for the time – counsellor in college, but is presently the closest thing to a boss Edelgard has in the firm. Needless to say, the unflappable woman had always been and still is held in high regard by her.

It isn’t like Edelgard needs permission or anything to conduct her cases however she saw fit. If she really believes something to be the best course of action, she wasn’t in any way bound by the approval of anyone on her team, even Byleth’s.

“But you’re compromised. Emotionally.” Byleth says, simply. Evenly. _Correct, as always_.

She doesn’t really need her approval, but she looks for it anyway. She wants it. As if trying to convince herself in the process.

Edelgard stares down at her coffee cup for a moment, just to look at something that wasn’t those unsettling, prodding eyes while she collects her thoughts.

“Professor,” she stops, looking up straight at blue eyes. No use hiding behind false detachment. “Byleth. This is a very important case to me. Even if I am too close to it, I do feel like my best course of action is this.” _Trust me so I can trust myself_ , she leaves unsaid.

Byleth pauses for a couple of seconds that feel like years. Then a small upturn of her lips.

“Do give that woman a beating, will you?”

Edelgard exhales and feels her face split up in an almost maniacal grin. This is all she needs to hear.

She _craves_ for a chance to finally go head-to head against Rhea.

______________

In person, Rhea is magnificent. There is no other word Edelgard’s mind could muster to describe the way she looks, holds herself, talks, _is_. She is magnificent and Edelgard absolutely hates her, more than ever.

_Too tall._ Is the only thing she can think as Rhea goes up to the podium and starts her oral statement. _Too fucking tall_.

She talks _so fucking well_ , too. Goddess, what a voice. Deep, and rich, and magnificent just like her. Edelgard is fuming.

When she finishes, Edelgard automatically stands up. She supposes because it will be her turn to talk next but can’t be sure as her legs seemed to move at their own accord. The rest of the courthouse stares at her. She doesn’t notice them at all.

Rhea walks back to her seat. Stops for a second besides Edelgard, looking down directly at her. “Miss Hresvelg,” she says, slowly, like she is tasting out the name on her tongue. Then she _smiles_.

Edelgard feels very dumb at that moment. But her mouth, thankfully, just as her legs had before, moves regardless of coherent thought “Miss Seiros,” she nods back.

The tall woman winks – _winks!_ – at her before settling back on her seat and that display alone makes her so furious it is enough to finally break Edelgard from her stupor.

She breathes in once. Twice.

She climbs the podium and looks at the expecting judge, and then at the people in the courthouse, all the while clearing her mind of any distractions – as tall and beautiful and infuriating as those distractions are – while focusing at the task at hand. She was going to nail this.

Edelgard breathes in deeply for a third time and opens her mouth to start her statement. She has some counsel fees to receive.

______________

It is three in the morning and she hears the ping of an email notification.

“Congratulations on your oral statement today. I was absolutely enthralled by it” Edelgard’s brain barely registers this, instead focusing on the message’s last sentence. “If you’re free, let’s go out for a beer tomorrow.” It isnt’t a question.

She looks at the sender address and frowns. _How in hell did she get…_

“I'd love to.” Her fingers type out and hit send on their own without hesitating for even one fraction of a second.

**Author's Note:**

> i am but a mere lesbian law student leave me be
> 
> also this law student is not from an english speaking country so please, if any of you natives miraculously come across this fic and find any grotesque legal mistakes, be nice
> 
> not a particular rheagard shipper but this premise fits the pairing so well i HAD to


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